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03 March 2020

The Office for International Affairs (OIA) at the University of the Free State (UFS) implemented the second iteration of its Umoja Buddy Programme (UBP) in 2020. The UBP is a flagship internationalisation-at-home programme aimed at the smooth academic, social, and cultural integration of first-entering international students at the UFS by pairing them with senior UFS students. It offers local students an international experience on the home campus and develops their international and intercultural competence through direct interaction with international students. The UBP contributes to the achievement of the UFS vision, whereby every student will in future have an international experience during their studies at the UFS.


Internationalisation at home

On 13 February 2020, a welcome function themed Echoes of Sophiatown set the tone for this year’s edition. Chevon Slambee, Chief Officer in the OIA and UFS master’s student, welcomed the students and explained the theme of the day. She said that, “as students, we have a responsibility to be active citizens and contribute to change and social transformation”. Programme coordinator Bulelwa Moikwatlhai introduced the function and framework of the programme and highlighted the importance of internationalisation at home. Also in attendance was the Dean of Students, Pura Mgolombane, who encouraged students in his address to honour their heritage, “so that together, we can be able to appreciate one another”. He emphasised the importance of social justice for academic success. The SRC member for the International Student Council, Simba Matheba, expressed his support for the UBP. The UFS Arts, Culture, and Dialogue office provided entertainment at the event.

Umoja Buddy

International and local students mingling at the 2020 Umoja Buddy Programme Welcome Function.

News Archive

Kovsies reaped the badminton medals
2006-07-07

STUDENTS of the University of the Free State reaped the badminton medals during the 4th FASU Games (organised every two years by the African University Sports Federation) currently held in the City of Tshwane.  Nearly 2000 students from about 22 countries participate in the 11 designated sports, which are, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Chess, Football, Judo, Karate, Netball, Table Tennis, Tennis, and Volleyball.  This makes FASU Games the second largest international athletic event in the continent after the All Africa Games.  The FASU Games is one of the most important
international multi-sports gatherings in the continent.

Chris Dednam, Olympic player of Kovsies, earned a hat-trick of three individual gold medals.  His team mates, Raymond Ronne (one gold and two silver) and Liansa Coetzee (one gold and two bronze) supported him well to show that the continent has no better badminton players than Kovsies.  Some of the Kovsies' strongest players have actually withdrawn from the games because students had to finance themselves.

The South African (SASSU) badminton team also conquered gold in the team competition.  They made a clean sweep with victories of 5-0 over the students of respectively Ghana, Uganda en Zambia.

Results of the finals in the individual badminton championships:
Men's-singles - Chris Dednam (SASSU) beat Raymond Ronne (SASSU) 21-8, 21-7; Women's-singles - Kerry-Lee Harrington (SASSU) b Christina English (SASSU) 21-14, 15-21, 21-18; Men's-doubles - Chris Dednam/Raymond Ronne (SASSU) b André van Schalkwyk/Benjamin Smith (SASSU) 21-8, 21-6; Women's-doubles - Liansa Coetzee/Sarah Rice (SASSU) b Kerry-Lee Harrington/Christina English (SASSU) 21-19, 12-21, 22-20; Mixed doubles - Chris Dednam/Christina English (SASSU) b Raymond Ronne/Kerry-Lee Harrington (SASSU) 24-22, 21-11.

       Chris Dednam

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